500 Sails, PCRP deploy Backyard Buoys in Saipan

500 Sails in collaboration with Pacific Coastal Research and Planning, took a major step in ocean safety and maritime awareness in local waters this week.

On Thursday, the organizations deployed one backyard buoy at the Sugar Dock channel and today they plan to deploy a second one at the Akino Reef north of Garapan. As traditional canoes bring the modern technology to Marianas waters, organizers said it will provide real-time ocean data for the community to access online.

According to PCRP, the small, solar-powered buoys float on the surface and measure wave height and direction, water temperature, and ocean conditions. “Backyard buoys are kind of like a weather station for the ocean,” PCRP explained.

They said ocean data helps the community make better decisions. The effort is a collaboration between 500 Sails, PCRP, PacIOOS, Backyard Buoys, and the University of Hawai’i. 

Thomas Manglona II reports. Watch to learn more.